This week at William's Village we read a children's story about 3 trees to the kids. It's a wonderful story (beautifully illustrated) about 3 trees who have big dreams for their life, dreams which they think are dashed until God ends up using them for even *greater* purposes in their lives. One ends up becoming the manger that Jesus is born in, one becomes the boat Jesus walks on the water to, and one becomes the cross that He is crucified on. A beautiful message that God's plans are greater than we might imagine. We had the children draw what they dream of for their life- what they want to be when they grow up or dream of for their future. (I drew trees on big sheets of paper that they drew inside of and colored, and we wrote "God has a good plan for you, Jer. 29:11" on it in Swahili.)
What an awesome opportunity to give these children the chance to DREAM. To *encourage* their dreaming and their hoping. It could be so easy to see these children's futures as void of hope or void of promise- children in this remote African village whose families struggle to survive each day and who are afforded little or no "opportunities" as we see opportunity in the West. But that is not what God sees. That is not what He plans. He tells us that His plans are for our GOOD, to give us a FUTURE and a HOPE (Jeremiah 29:11) .... and that He will even give us more than we could ever hope for or imagine. (Ephesians 4:20).
These children dream of becoming pilots, nurses, teachers, drivers, policemen, and doctors.
Lord, please continue to grow the dreams of these children. Continue to give them HOPE for their future. And then reveal Yourself to them in ways that they never thought possible... in ways that are greater than they ever even hoped for or imagined. Please pray this prayer with me for these precious children.
Love the upside down tree! :-)
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